Southern California -- this just in

L.A. Now Live: Discuss LAUSD's shortened school year

June 13, 2012 | 6:30
am

The Times' education reporter Howard Blume will join City Editor Shelby Grad to discuss the deal between L.A. Unified and its teachers to cancel up to five instructional days in the 2012-13 school year.

The live chat is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday.

The deal could also reduce teacher pay by the equivalent of 10 days overall and would bring to 18 the number of school days cut over four years. But it would also allow the district to preserve adult education and elementary arts programs and spare more than 4,000 teachers and others from layoffs.

Blume will be available to answer questions about the district's decision and why both sides agreed to the pact -- even though they thought it was a bad move for students.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4f23e82240&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; _mce_href=&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;http://www.coveritlive.com/mobile.php/option=com_mobile/task=viewaltcast/altcast_code=4f23e82240&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;L.A. Now Live with city editor Shelby Grad&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;